This invention relates generally to fabricating components, and more specifically to supplying coolant to components during fabrication thereof.
For at least some known machining processes, for example multi-axis milling or grinding processes, components may be coupled to a fixture that is mounted on a table that rotates and translates about at least one axis to facilitate machining various surfaces of the component. To avoid heat damage to the component, cooling fluid may be discharged toward the machining zone to facilitate cooling the component during machining. Stationary nozzles are sometimes used to direct cooling fluid toward the machining zone, however, depending on the orientation of the component, it may be difficult to provide adequate cooling fluid to the machining zone. For example, depending on the component, a path of coolant discharged from such stationary nozzles may become obstructed as the component is reoriented.
Accordingly, to ensure an adequate supply of cooling fluid is available, at least some known nozzles are coupled to the fixture such that the nozzle moves with the fixture and is maintained in the same alignment with respect to the machining zone during movement of the fixture. For example, cylindrical tubes are sometimes coupled to the fixture and bent into position to direct cooling fluid toward the machining zone. However, nozzles coupled to the fixture may inadvertently become damaged or misaligned as the component is coupled to the fixture, and/or during maintenance of the fixture. Moreover, some known nozzles are coupled to the fixture using fittings that may loosen during movement of the fixture, thus enabling the nozzles to become misaligned. Damage to, and/or misalignment of, such nozzles may cause insufficient cooling fluid to be supplied to the machining zone, which may damage the component.